Putting
things in perspective: The Annunciation
and Birth of Our Lord Jesus Christ

Has anyone else
every wondered why the Church celebrates
Christmas with so much joy and glory?

Wait now, hear me
out. I'm not saying that the first
epiphany or manifestation into the
world of Our Lord isn't a great Christian
celebration and shouldn't be celebrated
as such. I've been wondering though,
for us Catholic Christians who believe
that life begins at the moment of
conception, why don't we celebrate
the Annunciation with an
even greater fever than
Christmas.

The Annunciation
is when Divinity and Humanity were
brought together, wasn't it ?

When did Jesus,
Our Lord first have flesh and bones,
at birth? ... NO at
conception! As THE Church Christ
founded, what are we saying about
the importance of human life before
birth when we celebrate Christmas
with more fever than the Annunciation?
If the Annunciation falls on a Monday
or the preceding Saturday, it
may NOT even be a Holy Day of Obligation according
to a recent decision by the Catholic
bishops in America that was approved
by Rome.

What are all practicing
Catholics, from the Pope, Cardinals,
bishops, priests to the lay parishioners
saying to the secular world when
we don't recognize the humanity of
Christ from March 25th through
December 25th, nine months
later? Jesus was really and truly
alive during this period of time.
He was not just miraculously
born on Christmas Day by some instance
miracle. Nevertheless as THE Church
we do nothing liturgical during this
nine-month period of time to emphasize
our pro-life position.

As a cradle Catholic
I believe there is something we
have to liturgically do
from March 25th through December
25th to remind US and the
secular world that being Catholic
Christians means celebrating life
liturgically at conception through
the first Epiphany in December.

But let's go further.
When were YOU born? YOU the reader
of this commentary.

Don't give me the
date on your birth certificate because
you were approximately already 9
months old by that time. I'm open
to correction, but we can't say exactly
when we were conceived. We don't
have the science for that. Nevertheless,
sometimes things can happen in a
providential manner without us even
seeing it!

Case in
point: The date on MY
birth certificate is
June 29, 1955. As is usual in
all Christian families, we celebrate
my birthday on that day each year.
The problem: I get no belated
birthday cards! My family has
been celebrating my birthday for
49 years and every year they have
been 9 months late!

I'm a big "Saints
Day" fan. I use to do Compline
at night. It is part of the Liturgy
of the Hours. To this day I can still
partially match up a date with a
Saint's feast day.

If you take the
date on my birth certificate, the
date the world saw me for the first
time, and subtract 9 months what
date to you come to? September 29,
1954. I'll give you one guess whose
feast day we celebrate on September
29th in the Church?

Has Our Lord planned
something for you in a providential
manner, YOU have never thought of?
What happens when you subtract 9
months from the date on YOUR birth
certificate!

Something to think
about maybe ? I know one person who
probably agrees totally with my commentary:
Our Blessed Virgin Mother, Mary and
for that matter any mother!

I don't have the
contacts other priest-friends have,
but if any one can forward this commentary
to Pope Benedict XVI for his review,
it would be appreciated. I can be
reached at mike.hump@comcast.net

Mike Humphrey
Catholic Apologist

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